thomas



J. A. THOMAS.

MACHINE FOR NICKING HANDKERCHIEF WEBS.

Patented N (iv. 11, 1919.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1916. 1,321,161

2 sue x. 3 13 y I'm for J. A. THOMAS.

MACHINE FOR NICKING HANDKERCHIEF WEBS- APPLICATION FILED 1111.4. 1910.

1,321,161. P11611161 N0v.11,1919.

Z'SHEETS-SHEEF 2.

' Ji'i'orlz e51 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES A. THOMAS, OE TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 cLUET'r, EAEODY & co. INc., OF TROY, NEW YORK, A coRroRATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR NIGKING HANDKERCHIEF-WEBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed February 4, 1916. Serial No. 76.140.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JAMEs A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Nicking Handkerchief-l/Vebs, of which the following is a specification.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon which form a part of this specification. imilar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

In the manufacture of handkerchiefs, it is customary to form upon each edge of a long web of fabric, of a width corresponding with the width of handkerchief desired, a continuous hem, and to thereafter sever from the web successive port-ions of a length corresponding with the size of handkerchief desired.

In severing the successive portions from the web, it is found impossible to secure accurate work by cross-cutting the web with a knife or shears, because unless the web be severed for substantially its entire width along the same cross-thread in the fabric,

the handkerchief, when laundered, will be of irregular outline and unsightly.

It is found practically necessary, therefore, to tear the successive portions from the web; and preliminary to tearing such a portion from the web, it is necessary to nick or cut through one of the hemmed edges at the point where the web is to be severed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will automatically nick the hemmed edge of the web at regular intervals to facilitate tearing from the web pieces of uniform length.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in front elevation of my improved machine for nicking handkerchief-webs.

Fig. 2 is an end-elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section ofthe same taken on the broken line in Fig. 1, indicated by the arrow 34, viewed in the direction of the arrow, 3.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view upon the same broken line, viewed in the direction of the arrow, 4.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the axis of the web-feeding drum taken on the broken line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a portion of a web of handkerchieffabric showing the hemmed edge nicked at regular intervals, as by the operation of the machine.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1 is a roll or drum rotatively mounted upon the frame, 2, of the machine, and adapted to be continuously rotated by the power applied to the pulley, 3, which is in fiXed relation to the drum.

3111 advance of the drum are a plurality of flanged tension-rolls, 4, 5, and 6, over which the web, 15, of fabric passes alternately in oppositedirections on its way to the drum, 1.

The web in passing over the drum, 1, is clamped between the drum and a pair of rollers, 7 and 8, carried bya shaft, 9, parallel with the drum and having end-bearings in vertically-movable bearing-blocks, 10, reciprocatory in. vertical slideways, 11,in the frame, one at each end of the machine.

The bearing-blocks, 10, are yieldingly forced toward the drum, 1, by coilsprings, 12, the force of which can be varied by adjustment of a screw, 13, to cause the rollers,

7 and 8, to clamp the web with more or less force against the drum. I

For certain purposes the rollers, 7 and 8, are in effect a single roll,as it is necessary to clamp against the drum only the hemmed edge-portions, 14, of the web, 15, which hemmed edgeportions are thicker than the intervening portion of the web.

Near one end of the drum, 1, a diaphragm,

16, extends across the interior of the drum in fixed relation to the drum.

Upon the diaphragm, 16, are fixed slideway-members, 17 18 and 19, forming guides for a reciprocatory ciittei fraine, .20, carrying a knife, 21, movable outwardly and in warclly through an aperture, 22, in the periphery of the drum.

A coil-spring, 23, acts upon the cutterframe tending to forceits knife-carrying end toward the aperture, 22.

The cutter-frame has mounted thereupon a cam-follower, 24, engageable with a cam, 25, fixed u on the frame of the machine, which cam ias an abrupt termination at 26.

The cam is so formed and located that as the drum rotates, the cutter-frame is withdrawn by engagement of its cam-follower, 24, with the cam until the cutter is withdrawn into the drum, and that the moment the aperture, .22, is directly beneath the roller, 7 the cam-follower, 24, leaves the high part of the cam at its abrupt termination, 26, permitting quick action of the spring, 23, upon the cutter-frame, 20, to drive the knife or cutter, 21, outward through the aperture, 22.

The aperture, 22, and roller, 7, are opposite the edge-hem, 14, of the web, and said roller serves as a cutting-block for the knife, which at each operation, nicks the web by cutting through said hemmed edge forming at regular intervals nicks, 27.

The roller, 7, may be made of wood or other suitable material, adapting it to form a cutting-block for the knife, 21.

The distance between the successive nicks, 27, is equal to the circumference of the drum, and can be varied by employing drums of different diameters.

In the ope ation of the machine, the web, 15, is constantly fed forward by the pull-of the drum, and the rollers, 7 and 8; and at each rotation of the drum, the cutter is automatically operated to nick the hemmed edge of the web.

The web can afterward be severed by tearing from each of the nicks across the web to the opposite hem, which can be cut by shears or knife.

The flanged rolls, at, 5 and 6, serve as guides for delivering the Web to the drum,

and also as tension-rolls.

The roll, 6, nearest the drum, is preferably rotatively mounted upon a shaft, 28, the ends of which are adjustably mounted in slideways, 29, on the frame, the shaft being held in an adjusted position by means of nuts, 30, fitting screw-threaded ends of the shaft.

By means of the adjustment thus provided, the roller, 6, can be located nearer to, or farther from, the drum to secure the desired degree of tension.

W hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the class described and in combination, a pair of rotatory web-feeding members, one provided with a peripheral aperture; a cutter movable through said aperture and movably mounted upon said apertured member; a spring for thrusting said cutter outwardly through the aperture; and means whereby said cutter is automatically Withdrawn against the action of said spring; and whereby it is released to the action of said spring when said aperture is adjacent to the other rotatory member.

2. In a machine of the class described and in combination, a rotatory drum provided with a peripheral aperture; roller-mechanism having members cooperative with the drum to engage a web of fabric, one opposite said aperture, and another at a distance therefrom substantially equal to the width of the Web; a cutter mounted upon the roll to travel therewith and movable through said aperture; a spring tending to thrust the cutter out through said aperture; a camfollower connected with said cutter; and a stationary cam in the path of said camfollower, said cam having an abrupt termination at a point reached by the cam-follower when the cutter-aperture is adjacent to the neighboring roll-member.

3. In a machine of the class described and in combination, a rotatory drum having an internal diaphragm and provided with a peripheral aperture adjacent to said diaphragm; a roller cooperative with the drum at its apertured portion; a slideway on said diaphragm; a cutter-frame reciprocatory in said slideway toward and from said aperture; a cutter carried by said cutter-frame movable through said aperture; a spring tending to force said cutter-frame in a direction to project the cutter outwardly through said aperture; a canrfollower on the cutter-frame; and a stationary cam in the path of said cam-follower, said cam having -an abrupt termination at a point reached by the cam-follower when the cutter-aperture is adjacent to the neighboring roll.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of January, 1916.

JAMES A. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, D. G. 

